The Evidence and Property Unit is responsible for receiving, cataloging, storing, and maintaining all evidence collected during a Sheriff's Office investigation. Evidence may include firearms, weapons, blood samples, urine samples, personal property, found property, and items collected as part of an investigation. The Evidence Unit is also responsible for returning property to the rightful owner at the conclusion of an investigation or disposing of such in accordance with Oregon Revised Statutes.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office Evidence and Property Unit is only responsible for property/evidence collected by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. If your property was collected or seized by another law enforcement agency within Marion County, you will need to contact that agency directly for the disposition of your property.

The Evidence Officers do not have the authority to release property taken as evidence without prior authorization from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office case officer or the Marion County District Attorney’s Office. The staff in the Evidence and Property Room can facilitate the process for release of property, but they do not have the authority to determine what property can be released or when it can be released.

RELEASE OF PROPERTY:Property is released by appointment only. Please contact (503) 588-5077 to schedule an appointment.

Evidence and property that is no longer needed for court proceedings, and the owner is known, will be released. The Evidence Officers will send a letter to your last known address on your file at the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles stating the property can be picked up. Evidence and property used in the commission of a crime such as controlled substances or related instruments and/or contraband, which are unlawfully used or possessed, will be destroyed. Property will not be released to the owner without photo identification (driver’s license, state ID card, passport, etc.). In the case of recovered stolen property, you may be asked to supply proof of ownership.

DISPOSAL OF FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION:The Marion County Sheriff’s Office will dispose of any unwanted firearms and ammunition for the general public. For more information, please contact the staff directly.

FOUND PROPERTY - RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF FINDERS AND OWNERS:

The following are excerpts from Oregon Revised Statutes pertaining to found property:

ORS 98.005 Rights and Duties of finder of money or goods.

1) If a person finds money or goods valued at $100 or more, and if the owner of the money or goods is unknown, such person, within 10 days after the date of the finding, shall give notice of the finding in writing to the county clerk of the count in which the money or goods was found. Within 20 days after the date of the finding, the finder of the money or goods shall cause to be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the county a notice of the finding once a week for two consecutive weeks. Each such notice shall state the general description of the money or goods found, the name and address of the finder and final date before which such goods may be claimed. (2) If no person appears and establishes ownership of the money or goods prior to the expiration of three months after the date of notice to the county clerk under subsection (1) of this section, the finder shall be the owner of the money or goods. [1973 c.642"1; 1989 c.522 "1]

ORS 98.015 Liability of noncomplying finder; forfeiture to county of unreclaimed money or goods.

If any person who finds money or goods valued at $100 or more fails to comply with ORS 98.005, the person shall be liable, upon conviction for violation of ORS 164.065, to the county for the money or goods or the full value of the money or goods. The county treasurer shall hold the money or goods or their value for owner thereof and shall publish notice of the finding of the money or goods in the manner provided in ORS 98.005. If the owner has not reclaimed such money or goods within three months after the date of the first publication of notice by the county treasurer, the owner shall forfeit the rights of the owner to the value of such money or goods and the value of such money or goods shall be placed in the general fund of the county to be used for the payment of the general operating expenses of the county. [1973 c.642 ''2; 1989 c.522 ''2]

ORS 98.025 Rights of owner.

If an owner of money or goods found by another person appears and establishes a claim to such money or goods within the time period prescribed by ORS 98.005 or 98.015, whichever applies, the owner shall have restitution of such money or goods or their value upon payment of all costs and charges incurred in the finding, giving of notice, care and custody of such money or goods. [1973 c.642 ''3]

In Accordance with the requirements set out in the Oregon Revised Statutes, found property turned over to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office will be advertised in the Statesman Journal Newspaper. If, after advertisement, the property remains unclaimed, it is generally turned over to Oregon State Surplus or destroyed. If you are the finder of property and would like to exercise your rights as specified in ORS 98.005, then do not turn the property over to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. Found property turned over to the Sheriff’s Office will not be returned to the finder. If you have questions about the statutes listed above and/or the duties required of a finder of property, please call the Evidence and Property Room staff at 503-588-5077.